The Vulcain rocket engine is the main stage engine on the Ariane 5 rocket. We are a part of the European team of companies that have developed and is now producing the Vulcain engine, supplying several of the engine's key parts, such as the hydrogen turbines, the oxygen turbines and the hydrogen cooled nozzle. We have been involved in the Vulcain program since it started in the 1980's.
The Vulcain engine uses a high-performance turbine to power its liquid oxygen pump. The basic version is a 1-stage supersonic LOX turbine. As a gas generator cycle engine, the Vulcain uses hydrogen-rich gases to power its turbines. The LH2 turbine is a 2-stage transonic turbine that powers the liquid hydrogen pump of the Vulcain engine of the Ariane 5 launch vehicle. As a GG-cycle engine, the Vulcain uses hydrogen-rich gases to power its turbines.
The bell shaped nozzle is made up of 1,800 meters of thin-walled tubes (4 x 4 mm) welded